298
One more interesting example of such a structure is the Tower of the Winds
(73 m) in the Vatican (with a meridian line), which served as a first Vatican
Observatory “Specola Vaticana” (1576). Other examples for octagonal observatories were the original buildings of Rapenburg Observatory Leiden (1633) with an
octogonal-rotating turret, and Sonnenborgh Observatory Utrecht (1642), adorned
with a platform with an octagonal tower at the top of the structure. Furthermore, one
should mention the old university observatory in the botanic garden in Halle/Saale
(1788), also an octagonal building in Neoclassical style by Carl Gotthard Langhans
(1732–1808), who is famous for the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. The octagonal
structure of Santa Fé Observatory de Bogotá, Columbia (1802/1803), was used as
the first observatory in South America.
The Stockholm Observatory (1753) is a prestigious building. “It is not unusual
that an observatory would be included as a prominent feature on cityscapes or be
represented as one of the most important buildings in the city. As such the observatory became a symbol of a learned society and its representative function had as a
consequence that large sums were invested and prominent architects commissioned.” (Elmqvist Söderlund, 2009: 235). Like in Greenwich, a central room with
eight large “windows” in the ground floor—not a tower—served for observations,
and especially for the measurements of the positions of the stars. It was not until
1877 that a tower was established on the top of the building to house the main
refractor, with the mounting made by A. Repsold & Söhne of Hamburg and optics
by Merz of Munich.
3 Observatories in Neoclassical Style Around 1800: Shape
of the Greek Cross
The shape of the Greek cross (four wings of equal length) was distinctive for the
architecture of observatories around 1800; they were constructed in Neoclassical
style.
11
Examples are:
– Real Observatorio Astronómico in Madrid, Spain (1790)—architect: Juan de
Villanueva (1739–1811);
– Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte, Naples, Italy (1819)—architects:
Luigi Gasse (1778–1833) and Stefano Gasse (1778–1840);
11 I would like to clarify the Neoclassical style, because it is very confusing in different publications – and the architecture is essential for the UNESCO application: In the first half of the eighteenth century, it was often called Neoclassicism, starting in Italy. Since the 1750s the architecture
is called Neoclassical, e.g. in England. In France, there was the “Louis XVI style” before the
Revolution, then “Napoleonic Empire style”. In Germany, “Klassizismus” was used for architecture (Empire, later Biedermeier for decorative arts). In Sweden, during the reign of King Gustav
III (1771–1792), Neoclassical buildings were referred to Gustavian architecture. In the USA,
Greek Revival architecture is used in the nineteenth century. Victorian style refers to the reign of
Queen Victoria (1837–1901).
G. Wolfschmidt
One more interesting example of such a structure is the Tower of the Winds
(73 m) in the Vatican (with a meridian line), which served as a first Vatican
Observatory “Specola Vaticana” (1576). Other examples for octagonal observatories were the original buildings of Rapenburg Observatory Leiden (1633) with an
octogonal-rotating turret, and Sonnenborgh Observatory Utrecht (1642), adorned
with a platform with an octagonal tower at the top of the structure. Furthermore, one
should mention the old university observatory in the botanic garden in Halle/Saale
(1788), also an octagonal building in Neoclassical style by Carl Gotthard Langhans
(1732–1808), who is famous for the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. The octagonal
structure of Santa Fé Observatory de Bogotá, Columbia (1802/1803), was used as
the first observatory in South America.
The Stockholm Observatory (1753) is a prestigious building. “It is not unusual
that an observatory would be included as a prominent feature on cityscapes or be
represented as one of the most important buildings in the city. As such the observatory became a symbol of a learned society and its representative function had as a
consequence that large sums were invested and prominent architects commissioned.” (Elmqvist Söderlund, 2009: 235). Like in Greenwich, a central room with
eight large “windows” in the ground floor—not a tower—served for observations,
and especially for the measurements of the positions of the stars. It was not until
1877 that a tower was established on the top of the building to house the main
refractor, with the mounting made by A. Repsold & Söhne of Hamburg and optics
by Merz of Munich.
3 Observatories in Neoclassical Style Around 1800: Shape
of the Greek Cross
The shape of the Greek cross (four wings of equal length) was distinctive for the
architecture of observatories around 1800; they were constructed in Neoclassical
style.
11
Examples are:
– Real Observatorio Astronómico in Madrid, Spain (1790)—architect: Juan de
Villanueva (1739–1811);
– Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte, Naples, Italy (1819)—architects:
Luigi Gasse (1778–1833) and Stefano Gasse (1778–1840);
11 I would like to clarify the Neoclassical style, because it is very confusing in different publications – and the architecture is essential for the UNESCO application: In the first half of the eighteenth century, it was often called Neoclassicism, starting in Italy. Since the 1750s the architecture
is called Neoclassical, e.g. in England. In France, there was the “Louis XVI style” before the
Revolution, then “Napoleonic Empire style”. In Germany, “Klassizismus” was used for architecture (Empire, later Biedermeier for decorative arts). In Sweden, during the reign of King Gustav
III (1771–1792), Neoclassical buildings were referred to Gustavian architecture. In the USA,
Greek Revival architecture is used in the nineteenth century. Victorian style refers to the reign of
Queen Victoria (1837–1901).
G. Wolfschmidt